Publications

Available from our eShop and specialist climbing shops in the UK. You can also purchase guides from other publishers using the drop down menu.

Apps for Crags - A number of Apps are now available for several major crags in the Lake District and Snowdonia. Click here to go to the Apps page on the Climbers Club website for more information.

Major points of contact are:FRCC New Routes: To record all new routes and comment on existing ones, or to see what has been done in each area since the last published guide.Guidebooks Editor (Steve Scott): to enquire about the guides, submit comments on the guides that can't be submitted by the link above, or to volunteer to help.Photographs Editor (Richard Tolley): If you have good quality Lakeland climbing (action or historical) photographs that you think would be suitable for the guides we'd like to see them. The quality standard for action shots is set pretty high, though the more remote and unphotographed the crag the better your chances are. For historical photos there are no standards set and we'd be happy to look at just about anything, including portraits of well known climbers of the Lake District. We are always happy to receive material for the guides at any time but the ones that we are currently working on will be the ones that are either out of print or with the oldest date of publication in the list below.

Copyright: The information contained in these publications is copyright the FRCC. Those wishing to quote extensively from these guides should contact the FRCC Guidebooks Secretary for permission - this requirement is waived for those writing routes reports and similar articles for the climbing press. Please do not scan guides except for your own use, and please do not post them on the internet. We keep the cost of the guides as cheap as we can, but this is only possible if people buy them rather than steal them!

Lake District Rock

Lake District Rock

By members of the FRCC Guidebook Committee

Edited by Steve Scott

ISBN 978-0-85028-057-9

Lake District Rock is available.

Available from 14 June 2015

This new edition of Lake District Rock, covering the best that Lakeland has to offer the climber, will be on the shelves in June. This publication replaces the best-selling 2003 guide as the guide of choice for visiting climbers. Jointly published with WIRED guides – a collaboration of not-for-profit publishers including the FRCC, BMC, SMC, CC and YMC – this guide is the first of an exciting new series that will cover the whole of Britain.

Lake District Rock contains over 1500 climbs on 85 crags and features clear maps, crisp photodiagram coverage for every crag and sensational images. The banners and sidebar reflect the familiar FRCC colours making it easy to find each section. Dow, Coppermines & Slate, Duddon & Eskdale and Borrowdale – receive the ‘modern’ treatment and Bramcrag Quarry has a complete makeover with all of the recent developments featured.

This guide will inspire you to get onto the Lakeland crags this summer

Lake District Rock 2015

Scafell & Wasdale

The latest FRCC Guide - Scafell & Wasdale is now available online and in the shops.

This updated guide covers the sublime rock climbs on Scafell, and in Mosedale, Overbeck and Nether Wasdale. The action shots will inspire your plans, the clear Harvey Maps and extensive photoplan and photodiagram coverage will get you to your chosen climb. The publication of this volume coincides with the centenary of the first ascent of the magnificent Central Buttress by Herford, Sansom and Holland on 20th April 1914.

The crags of Scafell are simply magnificent - you can climb in a high mountain setting surrounded by superb rock architecture on impeccable rock. Scafell's barrel-shaped East Buttress is formidable, with universally supberb hard traditional climbs; a must for climbers operating competently at VS and above. Mosedale and Nether Wasdale are something of an esoteric choice, although Buckbarrow at the entrance of the valley offers an interesting alternative when the high crags are out of condition.

Remote Wasdale Head, on the west of the District, is the traditional base and offers a hotel, bar, outdoor shop, toilets and a secluded campsite.

Langdale

Langdale has some of the most varied, enjoyable and popular climbing in the Lake District. Many of the crags offer immaculate rock, basking in sunshine, making the valley an all year venue. This eagerly anticipated new FRCC guide covers all of the popular crags – White Ghyll, Scout, Pavey Ark, Raven Crags, Gimmer, Neckband, Bowfell and the accessible Wrynose pass crags. The less well known Crinkle Crags area, Lingmoor and Easedale are also included.
Describing over 850 routes on more than 40 crags the FRCC style has been retained using a larger format to enhance comprehensive, high-quality, colour photo diagram coverage and Harveysmapping. The result is that you will find it easy to choose and get to the higher mountain, low-level.and roadside crags described. An inspirational set of action photographs compliments the text and will help you decide what to climb. Supplemented by sections on just about everything a climbermight find useful in a guidebook, from a tabulated crag guide and graded list to details of climbing walls for days when even these sunny crags are dripping.

The limestone and sandstone crags and quarries described in this guide are scattered over a large area of North, East and South Cumbria outwith the Lake District, and a major attraction is that its climbs may often remain dry when those in the National Park are not. Important crags described include Chapel Head Scar and Armathwaite, but numerous lesser known crags also give plenty of scope within easy reach of the Lakes, ideal venues to save a wet day or as evening crags for locals. The most notable of these are: Head End Quarry, Spadeadam Crag, Cumrew Crag, Scratchmere Scar, Cowraik Quarry, King’s Meaburn, Coudy Rocks, Murton Scar, Windmore End, Hebblethwaite Hall Gill, Scout Scar, Slape Scar, Mill Side Scar, Humphrey Head, White Stone, Hoad Slabs, Birkrigg Quarry and Dunnerholme. A number of crags to which access is not currently permitted are also described in order to collate and preserve the historical record in case climbing is allowed in the future - these include Lazonby, The Hoff, White Scar and Goldmire Quarry. Excellent colour photodiagrams of virtually every crag will not only help in locating the climbs but are also a great source of inspiration. In addition there are sections on just about everything a climber might find useful in a guidebook, from a list of Climbing Walls for days when even these crags are dripping, to a comprehensive History and First Ascents List to read in the cafe. Interspersed throughout is a superb collection of action photographs.

Eastern Crags

The Eastern Fells: Thirlmere, north to Carrock Fell and south to Kendal, east to Patterdale and beyond to the Far Eastern Fells, are home to some fantastic crags; Castle Rock, Raven Crag (both of them) and Dove to name but a few. And these in turn boast some of the best known climbs in the Lake District; Overhanging Bastion, Fast and Furious, Totalitarian, Liquid Engineering – the list goes on… and on. Almost all these routes are ‘trad’, though a handful of quarry climbs are bolted. Grades range from Moderate to E9 (and F7b+ in the case of bolted routes). The line of nearly every route described is shown on a superb series of photodiagrams; not only a great aid to finding your climb, but a real source of inspiration when it comes to choosing which crag to visit.
In addition there are sections on just about everything a climber might find useful in a guidebook, from a list of Climbing Walls for a wet day, to a comprehensive History and First Ascents List. Interspersed throughout is a superb selection of action photographs.

The second in the new series of FRCC guidebooks to rock climbing in the Lake District featuring colour photodiagrams for virtually every crag featured.

This guide covers Buttermere, including its main venues of High Crag, Eagle Crag and Grey Crag, the newly developed Raven Crag on the Ennerdale face of High Stile, the less known venue of the Newlands Valley, and the sunny sandstone cliffs of St Bees with their modern bolted routes and trad adventure horrors.

A selection of boulder problems, both in Buttermere and at St Bees, is also included.

Also features some great action photography and many historical pictures from the FRCC archives.

Written and produced by members of the Lake District's leading mountaineering club - it is a must for all fell walkers' bookshelves.

Hardback, 214 pages.

Out of print - Still available at a few stockists

The Fell and Rock Journal

FRCC Journal(1907 onwards)

The FRCC Journal has been published continuously since 1907, initially annually, but currently biannually. It provides an extensive record of climbing and walking in the Lake District over the last century, as well as articles on many other parts of the world. Many early numbers are now much sought after and complete sets change hands for large sums, when they come up for sale, which is rarely.

It is distributed free of charge to FRCC members. Back numbers may be purchased by non-members. Please contact the FRCC Journal Editor (select Club Administration Enquiry) to see what issues are available and how much they cost.